Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Kind of a continuation on my last post.

I was reading old CP facebook pages, and I came across this one thread on the Spring '09 page. It was about how the program isn't at all what they expected, how there's too many rules, how they aren't making any friends, how the managers don't care, etc. It's the ONLY thread I've found on these groups that was negative.


I honestly don't mind hearing different points of view, although it was kind of depressing. To be honest though, it seemed to be mostly people who expected it to be a joyous 4-7 month vacation.
I actually understand and respect why Disney has the housing rules that they do. They have to keep those apartments relatively nice or people ARE going to complain! Sure, it kind of sucks having to be creative on how you hang up posters and such, but it's really not that big of a deal.

It was also said that all people wanted to do down there was sleep, so they never had anybody to have fun with. Well, yeah I get that, but...we are young, healthy people who have this once in a lifetime experience, so I say get your lazy tookus out of bed! I know we'll work a lottttt and we'll be sleeeeepy, I do. Just, I think I'd rather be out having fun with my friends than just sitting around in my apartment being in a bad mood. And really, you can always find SOMEONE to go play in the parks with. Hell, just post something on the facebook group, and I'm sure someone would respond. Or knock on your next door neighbor's door and invite them. You just have to WANT IT.

One thing someone mentioned was how the people didn't seem at all like what they seemed on facebook. This kind of worries me. I mean, almost everyone (a few excluded -- some of you know what this means, lol) seem so incredibly hyped and friendly. I hope they're really like that! I don't like unfriendly or snotty people, and thankfully almost nobody that I've 'met' seems to be that way. So, can we 'originals' make a pact to stay just as friendly and Disney-lovin' as we are online?

Because really, nothing would suck more than to get there and realize nobody was like you thought they'd be, and have awful roommates and friends. Like seriously, I understand that sometimes people are a little reserved and shy at first (me too) but we'll already be good friends by the time we get there! So there's no need for any of us to seem different in real life. Plus, I think vlogs help.

I know I can make friends with practically ANYONE, and it seems like most of the people I meet are like that as well. (I'm talking in circles, sorry).

So yeah, I just don't want to get there and realize most people were being fake online. So no fakers! Just friends! Haha.

I hope other people feel the same. :)

8 comments:

  1. Hey Jennifer,
    Funny thing about that old thread that you read..if you're talking about what I think you're talking about..I'm the one who started it, and now I'm someone who's constantly talking about how excited they are to do another CP and talking it up to everyone.
    I can't speak for anyone else, but when I started that thread I was mostly talking about how I was dissapointed that I hadn't gotten closer to people there. I expected to be friends with EVERYONE, but instead I had a few close friends, which in retrospect I appreciate a lot more. I think I also said something like, "I know I still won't talk to these people forever" which was also completely false lol I ended up dating someone who I worked with. We broke up on the last day of his program because we didn't want to do long distance, but he's still one of my best friends and we talk almost daily. Also, keep in mind that some attractions have more CPs than others- mine had maybe 6 or 7. Your work hours matter a lot too. My roommate and I got along great, however she worked at the Emporium and sometimes would have 9pm-5am shifts, so basically she was coming home from work an hour before I woke up to get ready for work.
    I loved my managers and didn't have a problem with any of them (Africa at DAK), but I have heard about some managers at other parks that "didn't care", but then again, we don't know the whole situation.
    I thought I would hang out with a lot of people from facebook, and I did in the beginning, but like I said, work schedules vary, and we eventually lost touch.
    I know you said that it sounds like everyone who posted that was looking for a long vacation, but I can tell you that I wasn't. I was, however, looking for an "espcape from reality" that Disney promises. What I didn't realize was that once I got there, I would have a new reality and have to deal with things just like I would have at home (only it is a little more bearable when at Disney lol).

    Sorry this comment is really long, I just didn't want to see you get discouraged. I read a quote somewhere about the CP that was "you love it, then you hate it, then you love it" and for some people, that final "love it" doesn't happen until the very end, or after they've self-termed (like I did) and realize that they miss it more than anything. I realized that I wanted a long-term career with the Walt Disney Company over the summer after I left, and now I'll do anything to get that : )

    Hope to see you next fall!
    -Michelle

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  2. Jenn,

    I was a part of the spring CP 09. and I loved it. Though I made a ton of friends on facebook before going down, only a select few were real friends when i got down there. But my real friends were from my work location. we worked together and then hung out 24/7.
    At the beginning of my program, I had the best roommate, though she never wanted to go out and do anything and always want to hang out at the apartment, so i would just stay there with her, but once she self-termed and i started hanging out with friends from my location all the time i had a blast. And if you don't like your roommates, then you can always move apartments.

    My advice to you: If you have a roommate that you really like but never wants to do anything, don't let them keep you home, go out and have fun without them, thats their loss! And if you get a location that you absolutely hate, try to switch locations or roles.

    good luck next fall and i hope to see you down there!!

    -Ashley

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  3. i may or may not have contributed to that thread as well!

    i have totally changed my mindset and have now only begun to appreciate the experience. i will admit, some people from facebook were not the same in person; and i didnt make all the friends i wanted to. i want to do it again and now i know what to do differently! dont let it get you down!

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  4. Thanks for commenting guys!

    Michelle, yeah it was your thread. I honestly wasn't talking about you at all, because what you said was really understandable. It just wasn't what you expected, but you seem to appreciate it in a different way now. I remember reading some posts from you, and you seem fun and Disney-loving just like me, so I'm sure we'll be friends! :)

    Ashley, that is really good advice about the roommate thing. Been there, done that and when that person left I felt totally out of the loop of everything else. That's why I'll try to have a wide variety of friends.

    Kristin, oh, I hope I didn't sound like I was talking about anyone in particular. I love the people who admit that they didn't have a great time at first, but they want to try again. Just like you, haha.

    I know I come across as naive, but I truly am just a person who looks at the positive sides of things. I can't wait to meet you all. (:

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  5. I'd say that most people that I've talked to about it went through a time where they weren't happy with something about to CP. But if you can get through that, then it's the best time of your life.
    A piece of advice: don't expect your friends back home to understand, they will never get it ; )

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  6. Haha, yeah. I'm sure there will be a time when I get homesick and tired of work, but I hope I'll have friends to pull me out of it!

    And seriously, my friends do not understand why I want to leave them to work at a theme park. Some people just don't get it!

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  7. Well I guess since i'm mentioned in this post I should reply. Like Michelle said it's a love/hate relationship with the WDW Resort. The Cp's to them this is like a mini vacation at the happiest place on earth. But to the full time/part time people this is their job. I can tell you from experience as well as other alum probably. The way they do scheduling is full time, cps, part time and then seasonal. So we get a lot of hours from people that are trying to actually live there for real. Not to be the disney villan here and bring up the negatives but there are going to be some. I just wanted to inform people of this because i would of loved to here it from an alum when I first went down. Clearly though you just have to overlook all the negatives and go with the flow. So i'm also sry cause I know i've been a negative nelly but you don't wanna walk in there and then get your legs knocked out from underneath you because people are mean. I do look forward to Fall 2010 and metting a lot of you. Happy new year to all

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  8. Actually Mike, I don't think I mentioned you in this post at all, haha. I know I mentioned in my last post something you said about the equity performers getting sick of smiling and such though.

    I appreciate the alumni POV, so I hope it doesn't seem like I don't. I'm not trying to live in a fantasyland (well, scratch that. I am going to WDW after all, lol) but I strongly believe that something can be good if you want it to be good.

    Now me and other fall hopefuls have the advantage of knowing before hand the tough things about the job, but that doesn't mean I want to just focus on that part.

    Like you said, (and this is how I live my life) we just have to overlook the negatives and go with the flow. :)

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